Meditation 525
The Martyr?
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Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. Virgil
The following is from an interview[1] with the father of a suicide bomber.
I am proud of my son. He has done a great job.
With his martyrdom, my son has enrolled me on the list of those 20 persons to take with him to paradise.
So why should I not be proud of him?
We've all heard about the perversion of Islam that calls suicide bombers martyrs, and the 72 virgins that Islamic teachings give to martyrs, but the ability to take 20 friends and family with you to paradise is a new one to me. But it would appear to be the belief of at least some Muslims sects. Perhaps this creates a certain amount of family pressure for a young man to sign up for death.
But what was this young man's "great job" that he achieved through his suicide?
In Afghanistan, he managed to kill just one man in addition to himself - that's all. That man was an army medic, who in his off-duty hours devoted himself to medically assisting Afghani children.
And for that... for making life worse for numerous children... for taking the life of one man... the suicide bomber gets to go to paradise, he gets the 72 virgins, and he gets to take 20 others to paradise with him?
What an absurd religion!
Footnote:
- National Post (Story of a man who died to kill a Canadian)
Friday, September 1, 2006, page 1